Review: Ticket West – All Is Well
Ticket West – All Is Well
Format: CD – Digital / Label: For The Road Records
Release: 2024
Text: Peter Fazant
‘All Is Well’ with Ticket West. This is their fifth record after ‘High Class Horse’ (with Harp Mitch, 2020), ‘Cab Driving Man’ (2021), ’49 Park Street Blues’ (2022) and the EP they made with producer, singer and harmonica player Greg Izor, ‘Chucufu’ (2023).
The core of Ticket West is two Dutch brothers, Pascal and Walter Wilhelm. Since the beginning, they have been playing and recording with a variety of musicians. While their first CD was still rooted in the Westcoast blues tradition, from their second CD onward they started explored other styles.
Their third CD ’49 Park Street Blues’ (also released on vinyl) was a highlight and received positive reviews. Their collaboration with Greg Izor was a happy accident. When he had some time in between gigs when he was in the Netherlands, Greg and Ticket West hit the studio for fun to record some songs of his.
For ‘All Is Well,’ Ticket West decided to do it themselves. With preferred suppliers Kees van Herk on drums and Bas Kleine on harmonica and keys added by Paul Bond they recorded eleven originals.
Buzzing is a Paladins inspired rocker about a man being confused by his woman leaving him, but in fact exactly knows why. Don’t Judge Me is a one-chord boogie about judgment (obviously) and Head Over Heels and Wedding Blues simply celebrate relationship between man and woman. Floor fillers Hip Shaking Woman and Downtime feature Walter on backing vocals.
Carry My Name and God Save My Woman touch on more serious topics, the former about guilt after divorce and the latter about the fear of losing a loved one. This Lightning Hopkins inspired song showcases Bas Kleine’s virtuoso playing.
Love Complicated is a funny 60’s inspired song, Waiting the not be neglected shuffle and Super Itch deals with our Instagram generation.
‘All Is Well’ presents a collection of catchy songs and forms a next step in the development of Ticket West. Clearly, they relied more on their own capacities on this record and the result is a nice one.
Rumors say they are hitting the studio again with Greg Izor.
Tracks:
01. Buzzing
02. Don’t Judge Me
03. Head Over Heels
04. Hip Shakin Woman
05. Carry My Name
06. Waitin
07. Love Complicated
08. Super Itch
09. Wedding Blues
10. Downtime
11. God Save My Woman
Website: https://ticket-west.com/